


By the Banks of Lake Hawea

by Silent_So_Long



Category: Star Trek (2009)
Genre: Camping, M/M, New Zealand, Shore Leave
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-06-13
Updated: 2012-06-13
Packaged: 2017-11-07 15:42:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,232
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/432777
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Silent_So_Long/pseuds/Silent_So_Long
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jim and Bones enjoy shore leave in New Zealand</p>
            </blockquote>





	By the Banks of Lake Hawea

**Author's Note:**

> written for the first ever McCoy and Kirk Spring Fling Fic Exchange, held by [mccoy_and_kirk](http://mccoy-and-kirk.livejournal.com). My recipient is ageofalejandro and the prompt I chose was **_#2 - spring break (or leave?), someplace cool._** I chose New Zealand as Jim and Bones‘ choice of shore leave, more specifically Lake Hawea Holiday Park which is in the Lake Wanaka Lifestyle Reserve. I’m sadly not a Kiwi, myself, but I am in love with the place, nonetheless; it looks truly beautiful there. I hope you like this, ageofalejandro, and that it’s something like you were expecting!

The crackle of the fire was the only thing that broke the silence, as Leonard stared into the flames. He found the dance of yellow-orange-red light hypnotic, capturing his gaze and his attentions until he could no longer look away. He sat, hypnotized by the dance of flames and shadows in the dark. Pops and crackles came from the wood slowly burning away in the fire’s heart, sending sparks and lit embers shooting up into the air at odd intervals. 

The clear spring evening air chilled against his skin, and his eyes rose momentarily to scan across the lake that spanned before him, and in the distance, the mountains that ringed the clear waters of the lake. The sky overhead was fading into twilight, clear blue skies darkening steadily down into darker hues, sun painting warm washes of orange and red that rivalled the colours of the fire. Leonard sighed in contentment, feeling the peace of the surroundings instilling in his system, and his body felt more relaxed than it had done in ages. The pace of life in New Zealand was far less break-neck than the Enterprise, the residents laid-back and filled with sunshine. 

The doctor had been initially resistant about the whole idea of camping, unable to cope without all the mod cons of the Enterprise. Jim himself had said that that was the whole point, to escape the usual daily grind for a while. Finally, after much haranguing from Jim, Leonard had reluctantly agreed. He blatantly ignored the fact that Spock had intermittently joined in throughout Jim‘s haranguing matches, stating that the doctor should follow his own advice sometimes regarding crew members needing shore leave. Leonard wanted to think that he was doing this for Jim, not Spock. Leonard was surprised, despite himself, that he was now beginning to enjoy himself and was glad Jim had suggested coming here for shore-leave. He suspected the captain was more concerned with more active pursuits like taking long lakeside walks, jet-skiing, or possibly kayaking than relaxing in the environs of Lake Hawea, such as Leonard was. 

The doctor’s thoughts turned to Spock again. He wondered what he was doing with Uhura, whether the couple had shored up in as pretty a place as he had with Jim. Knowing the Vulcan as well as anyone could ever know him, Leonard supposed that Spock had chosen a minimalist retreat that would bore Uhura within five minutes of arrival. 

“Pointy eared bastard,” he mumbled to himself, rousing himself with the sound of his own voice into sudden startled wakefulness.

It was only then that the doctor had realized how alone he was, how desolate the surrounding trees and the lake were, despite the beauty they offered him. He was under no illusions that anything could happen to him while he was alone, whilst Jim had finished paying a rather lengthy visit to the bathroom on the camping site. The image of his own ripped open, bloodied corpse and the resulting gushing entrails refused to leave the doctor’s rather over-active imagination.

“Dammit, Jim, I wish you’d hurry up,” he mumbled, knowing that Jim would no doubt tease him if the other man knew Leonard was getting a distinct case of the jitters.

Despite the fact that Leonard had his phaser, and was strong enough and large enough to fend off an attack for a certain amount of time, he still didn’t like the fact that he was alone, without someone there to watch his back, to help out if need be. He knew that he, too, would worry about Jim if the captain was alone somewhere, knowing that he would feel better if he was with Jim, to watch his back. He didn’t know what type of animal frequented the beauteous landscape of New Zealand, or how dangerous such creatures could be, after all. 

A sudden noise to his left caused Leonard into a crouch, phaser already gripped into one large fist, eyes narrowed as he attempted to see into the shadowed bushes nearby. He shifted on near silent feet, proving that even an old country doctor could move as stealthily as the next ninja. He crept forward, phaser raised and ready to stun, when the familiar slender shape of Jim suddenly appeared from out of the twilit shadows, as the captain adjusted his pants with a satisfied smirk upon his face.

“Jim,” Leonard breathed out, sheathing his phaser quickly, but not quick enough for Jim’s sharp eyes.

“Were you gonna shoot me, Bones?” Jim asked, even as he grinned, the light from the fire catching in his eyes and glittering upon his exposed teeth.

“No,” Leonard said, a little grumpily as he turned away.

“You were, weren’t you? Come on, admit it. You’re amongst friends and lovers now,” Jim coaxed, amusement colouring his voice and turning it warmer still, cheeky smile firmly in place in his eyes and on his mouth. 

“Yeah, if it makes you feel happier, then yeah. Okay? I thought you were a goddamn grizzly bear or something,” Leonard said, reluctantly. 

“I don’t think they have grizzly bears in New Zealand, Bones. Teddy bears, more likely,” Jim countered with a chuckle, as he stared pointedly at Leonard. “I know how you love to snuggle me, anyway.” 

“In your dreams,” Leonard replied, still embarrassed over being caught out. “And for your information, I do not snuggle. I‘m a doctor, not a teenaged girl.” 

“I know you‘re embarrassed, Bones. You can admit to snuggling, you know. There‘s no one here to hear you, apart from me and I know the truth of it,” Jim replied, as he came over and slipped his arms around Leonard’s waist. “Come on and have a snuggle with me, Bones.” 

Leonard was half-tempted to draw away, to deny the captain every last kiss and cuddle Jim obviously wanted from him, yet he found he couldn’t do it. Jim felt so warm, so real against him, body soft and perfectly malleable against his own. He found his body wanted to betray him, and betray him it did; he leant into Jim’s embrace, eyes half closed as the other man nuzzled the doctor’s neck. 

He made a grumpy noise, yet that irritated sound never made it to his face. His expression was relaxed, eyes closed as he gave into Jim, as he always invariably did. His body turned into the other man’s, arms slipping about Jim’s waist, nose pressed into the juncture between Jim’s neck and shoulder. Leonard’s breath was warm and tickling where it ghosted against Jim’s skin, as the doctor settled himself against the other man, actively snuggling. 

“See? I told you. You’re a snuggler,” Jim murmured, breath warm against Leonard’s cheek. 

“You dare tell anyone I like snuggling, and I will be forced to kill you,” Leonard replied, as he cracked one eye open to glare at Jim.

“This remains between us,” Jim replied, solemnly. “C’mon, Bones. Come back to the fire, and I’ll make you some s’mores.” 

“S’mores, my ass,” Leonard suddenly said, a growl evident in his tone.

“Some more of your ass? Okay, sounds fair enough to me,” Jim said, as he cupped Leonard’s butt with both hands playfully while grinning at the other man.

“Jim,” Leonard barked, unable to stop the smile that tugged at the corners of his mouth without his prior say-so.

Jim didn’t reply; instead he leant in and captured Leonard’s mouth in a kiss, soft at first, before tongues probed and slid one against the other. Leonard leant closer still, fingers snarling through Jim’s hair, eyes closing as Jim kissed him back. Leonard pulled away first, breath harsh in his throat , as he struggled to regain it. Jim smiled at him, but remained silent for once, leading the other man over to the fire. Jim sat down heavily, groaning as his ass connected harshly with the ground beneath him, before he pulled his pack closer to him. He pulled graham crackers from the bag’s depths, coupled with marshmallows and squares of chocolate. Leonard found a few sticks suitable for the endeavour and settled beside Jim, making himself comfortable while the other man pushed hunks of mallow and chocolate onto the sticks, along with crackling graham crackers.

Leonard watched as Jim extended one stick over the fire, and handed another to the doctor. Leonard copied his movements, senses dulled into laziness by the heat from the fire and the closeness of Jim. Jim, as usual, seemed unable to sit still for long periods of time, shifting and jiggling where he sat, as though impatient for the s’more to be melted sufficiently. Leonard smiled at him, but remained companionably silent. 

The doctor sat up straighter and hooked one arm around Jim’s slim waist, hoping that that would stop the incessant shifting of Jim Kirk. It worked for a while, until the s’more was melted. Then Jim was shifting for a different reason; unable to wait until the chocolate and marshmallow was cool enough to eat, he lifted the sweet treat to his lips. Subsequently, he burnt his lips and his tongue upon the heated fillings, yelping with surprise, at the sharp searing pain the treat caused him.

Leonard sighed at that, yet still tended to Jim, berating him for eating his s’more too quickly while doing so. Once Leonard was satisfied that Jim was okay, the doctor started nibbling more carefully and liberally at his own treat, despite the fact that the s’more was cool enough to consume. He wasn’t taking any chances despite this however; knowing that the middle of the treat quite likely still held heated horrors, despite the cool exterior. Jim was watching him, lips still reddened and slightly swollen from where they’d been burned by the marshmallow.

“What?” Leonard asked, gruffly, as he licked the sticky traces of mallow and chocolate from his lips. “’Cos I swear, if you dare to start singing “Row, Row, Row Your Boat,” I will be forced to kill you.” 

Jim laughed at that, before he shook his slowly.

“Wouldn’t even dream of it,” he murmured, still watching Leonard’s mouth closely. 

Jim tracked the movements Leonard’s tongue described upon the doctor’s full lips, seemingly entranced by the soft motions of pink tongue-tip against sticky mouth. 

“I’m glad you’re here, you know,” he said, with a smile. “It’s nice to have a doctor around on a camping trip.” 

“Oh, and there was me thinking that you just wanted me here because of my body and my other-worldly good looks,” Leonard commented, with a dry snort and a roll of his eyes at the captain.

“Well, there are those reasons too,” Jim said, with an easy grin and an even easier shrug, which was more of a roll of his shoulders than a true shrug.

Leonard only grinned to himself, before he leant in and planted a ferocious kiss upon Jim’s mouth. Jim’s surprised yelp when his scorched lips were buffeted was soon lost to the kiss he returned, tongues lapping and sliding one against the other. The s’mores were soon forgotten, though still tasted upon each other’s lips and tongues, sweet and sticky, ultimately heady and intoxicating.

Leonard drew away again, although his mouth hovered not far from Jim’s, breath huffing against the captain’s cheek in short, sharp bursts. Jim was about to pull the other man into another kiss when Leonard spoke, voice a husky growl made louder by close proximity.

“I do believe we have a tent to go back to, darlin’,” Leonard drawled, adding extra emphasis upon his Southern accent.

Jim shivered at that, loving when Leonard did that. The other man could tell him to do pretty much anything he wanted, bend him to his will if only Leonard would continue talking in his soft Southern tones. Jim didn’t trust himself to speak; instead he merely nodded, and allowed Leonard to heft him up onto his feet. They made their way back to the tent that curled in the shadows at the far edge of the fire, leaving the flames to fend for themselves while they were otherwise occupied, stoking fires of their own making. 

The tent itself was warm and intimate when zipped closed, providing the two men with privacy from the world outside. The fire could still be seen through the canvas walls of the tent, flickering wildly against the canvas in ever concentric dances. Jim didn’t have much time to watch the flames, however, soon distracted by the weight of Leonard’s mouth against his, and the familiar caress of the doctor’s hands beneath Jim’s shirt. Leonard danced confident fingertips across every scrap of skin he could reach, lips trailing kisses against Jim’s jaw and onto his neck where he sucked swift bruises against the skin. 

Jim’s breath came hard and fast, hands clutching ineffectually against Leonard’s back, gentle murmurs of encouragement sounding loud into the otherwise silent surroundings of their canvas trap. Leonard slid one had down and between Jim’s legs, finding the other man hard and ready, dick pressing against the captain’s pants in an all too tempting bulge. Leonard chuckled against Jim’s neck then, sound intimate and all too dirty in the close confines of the tent. Jim shivered against him, and turned into Leonard’s embrace more, peppering fleeting kisses against the other man’s cheeks and mouth.

“Please,” Jim murmured, when Leonard didn't immediately do anything. “I want you.” 

“I want you, too, m’dear,” Leonard murmured against the shell of Jim’s ear, breath warm and comforting against the other man.

Jim smiled, eyes closing momentarily, as he slowly peeled Leonard’s shirt from his body, pulling the material over Leonard’s head and causing the other man’s dark hair to tuft out in odd and crazy clumps. Jim stepped away then, leaving Leonard to remove his own pants while Jim undressed himself, both exchanging longing glances and secretive smiles as they did so.

Leonard was the first to be undressed, body naked and barely illumined against the glow of fire against canvas. He moved confidently over to their sleeping bags, snatching the lube and stepping over his abandoned boots and clothes as he did so, before he zipped the bags together while Jim finished undressing. Jim came up behind Leonard, hands immediately reaching for and finding the curve of Leonard’s ass, running fingers teasingly against suddenly pimpled skin. 

“Dammit, Jim,” Leonard said, as he straightened to throw a warning glance over his shoulder at the other man.

Jim merely smirked at him but said nothing. Instead, he continued caressing Leonard’s body, until the doctor stepped away and hustled inside the cocoon of the joined sleeping bags. Leonard held it open, an inviting grin upon his face as Jim shimmied inside with him, making sure to touch Leonard as much as he could while doing so. Jim leant in, pressed eager lips against Leonard’s mouth, stroking inside with his tongue eagerly. He attempted to push Leonard onto his back, yet found some resistance there. He leant away, frowning and grinned when Leonard pushed back, easing his body on top of Jim’s. Jim spread his legs, allowing the other man to settle in between them, before Leonard continued to kiss him, Jim’s hands a constant pressure against his back and ass. 

Leonard was obviously wanting to take it slow, yet Jim didn’t complain, too invested in returning every single one of the other man’s kisses and caresses to mind. And when Leonard finally prepared him, hand slow and lube-wet against him, Jim groaned and arched unto the other man’s touch and body, breathing harsh in the intimate confines of the bag. Leonard, when he entered Jim, took it slow, body fusing effortlessly with Jim’s and they made love gently, tenderly, exchanging kisses while the doctor worshipped Jim’s body in slow motion. And when Jim came, he screamed for Leonard loudly, arching up into the other’s touch seamlessly, threatening to shake apart while Leonard held him. Leonard came seconds after that, gruff moans of Jim’s name locked against the other man’s neck as Leonard bit down, threatening to break skin. Their bodies rode out the last of their climax, before Leonard rolled away; Jim followed, nestling into the doctor’s side easily, proving that Leonard was not the only snuggler of the two. Leonard was all to willing to cradle Jim against him, laying kisses against salt sweat skin, murmuring meaningless words against Jim’s hair, his skin, his ear. They fell asleep in each other’s arms that night, whilst still exchanging weary, slow kisses. 

~~~ 

Leonard woke first the next morning, still held in Jim’s arms. Jim was still asleep, dark lashes resting against his cheek while his chest rose and fell rhythmically, body still held within the grasp of dreams. . Jim’s lips were pushed out into an irresistibly sleepy pout, and Leonard stopped himself from leaning right in and kissing the other man awake. The impulse was strong and tempting, nonetheless, yet Leonard held back with an effort. He allowed Jim to sleep on, until the other man slowly stirred, eyelids fluttering open to reveal sleepy blue eyes that smiled as soon as Jim saw that Leonard was watching him. 

“Hey, Bones,” Jim said, sleepily, before leaning in to steal a kiss from Leonard’s mouth before the doctor could answer. “Love you.” 

“Love you, yourself,” Leonard replied, with a smile, when Jim leant away slightly. “You alright?” 

Jim nodded as he yawned, arms sliding still further around Leonard’s body, further preventing the doctor from moving. Jim hummed out a contented note then, as he settled himself still closer against Leonard's body and the doctor chuckled. Jim was distinctly clingy first thing in the morning, a fact that Leonard had long since learned through sharing endless beds with the man. He kissed Jim’s forehead, lips lingering against slightly sweaty skin, breath huffing against Jim’s sex and sleep tousled hair.

“Make love to me, Bones,” Jim said, next, voice still thick with sleep. 

Leonard hummed out a note of assent, before rolling Jim onto his back. Their love-making that morning was slow and gentle, quiet if not for the few odd, guttural groans that leaked past eager lips, whispered words of love and comfort whispered beneath the weight of a sleeping bag. Once they’d finished, Jim dropped a kiss upon Leonard’s waiting mouth and rested, lazy blue eyes hooded and sated. 

After another half hour had passed, Jim slid from beneath the covers and pulled hasty clothes on, grimacing at the sweaty, sticky state of his body as he did so. Leonard watched him, at the way Jim’s body moved in confident lines, muscles working beneath tanned skin, all the more disappointing when said skin was completely covered by clothing. 

“Taking a shower,” Jim threw over his shoulder, still mussed and sleepy looking and barely coherent.

“Don’t go in the lake,” Leonard immediately said, half expecting Jim to do just that. “You know there’s a shower complex nearby.” 

Jim mumbled something indistinct, before plunging out of the tent before Leonard could ask him what he meant or said. The doctor laid there for a while, willing the rest of his sex-soaked senses to waken before he could move. He dressed, slowly and grabbed a towel, intending to head for the showers himself. If he was lucky he could catch Jim still in there and perhaps scrub his back for him. That thought made him smile and he was still smiling when he made his way to the lake nearby to drink in the sight before taking his shower. 

Leonard meandered through the trees breathing deeply of the fresh, New Zealand air. The sun glimmered from the surface of the water when he reached the lake, throwing up sparkles and glimmers of ever moving light, that played over everything. Across the lake, the mountains loomed as immobile as ever, ancient guardians that oversaw everything and did not judge. Leonard stared at them a while, letting the beauty of nature and his immediate surroundings seep into his system and further relax him.

Leonard stopped beneath a tree and leant heavily against it, feeling the warmth of the day beginning to seep beneath the leaves that shaded him. He sighed, chest rising and falling as his eyes scanned the lake that glittered and spread before him in gently eddying waves. Soft plashes of water against shoreline provided soothing sounds mingled with odd calls of strangely plumaged birds and the odd grunting sound that some kind of unknown, unseen animal made while it passed. 

Leonard’s eyes dropped, even as he still stood, soothed into ever more relaxed state by the languid surroundings. The trunk of the tree he was leaning against felt solid, and warm, supporting him as his consciousness slipped and his eyes drooped still further. A fly buzzed past his ear, snapping the doctor out of his self induced doze, bright iridescent wings glittering in the light and sending rainbow sparkles shooting off into the air at regular angles. The bewinged being was beautiful, keeping Leonard’s attention as his eyes tracked the fly closer to the water, where it dipped and sparkled and reflected in the slowly moving waters below. For odd moments, it looked as though there were two flies in motion, where there was, in reality, only one, and then it was gone, speeding away when movement nearby disturbed its graceful flight. 

Leonard started, drawing back in the shadows, uncertain of what the disturbance could be, until he saw the familiar, slender shape of Jim emerging from the trees some distance away. Jim hadn't seen him; that much was obvious to the still watching Leonard. Jim wore a contented smile, handsome lines of his face more relaxed than Leonard had ever seen it. Even the set of his body was looser, more relaxed about the shoulders, arms swinging loose and carefree about his body. It seemed, now that Leonard gave himself the chance to truly look, as though New Zealand was working its magic upon Jim, too. 

Leonard couldn’t help but stare for a while longer, admiring the easy way that Jim walked, the way his hips rolled a little cockily, before the captain came to a halt by the water’s edge. For a moment, Leonard could see Jim’s reflection momentarily in the water, bright blue eyes blinking down at the rippling surface. Over the soft plashing sounds of the water, Leonard heard Jim sigh and it was then that the doctor began to feel like the universe’s biggest voyeur, standing in the shadows while Jim stood nearby, completely oblivious to the fact that he was even being watched. 

Leonard considered making his presence known, opening his mouth in preparation for calling the other man’s name, when he realized that Jim was getting undressed. His arms rose, pulling the shirt he’d tugged on in the tent free from his body, revealing long lines of finely muscled torso. Leonard had the sudden thought that he would love to run his hands once more over those wiry muscles, to caress the soft planes of that body, to feel the coiled tension hard up against him, despite the fact they‘d made love just over a half hour before. Jim had always had that effect on Leonard, as though Jim oozed sex without even trying, body confident in his own prowess. Much to Leonard’s constant chagrin, Jim was right to be so cocky; he really was that good in bed, keeping Leonard well sated and needing more night after endless night. He swallowed thickly, trying to distract himself from his ever growing erection, eyes riveted upon the sight of Jim kicking off his boots. 

Leonard shifted in discomfort, dick pressing hard against the front of his pants, as he watched the last of Jim’s clothes drop the floor. The doctor cursed Jim beneath his breath; he remembered explicitly telling the captain to not wash in the lake, yet there Jim was, doing just that. Leonard knew that Jim would do it anyway, too tempted by doing the things he shouldn't do to give in. If not for the fact that Jim looked good while dappled in sunlight-flickered reflections from the water, then Leonard would have called out for him to stop. Leonard couldn’t move, rooted to the spot with his own desire and need to drink in every last naked line of Jim’s body. He swallowed, eyes tracking downwards and up again as Jim stretched, as though the captain was some irresistible force, preventing Leonard’s escape and rendering him an immovable object, by contrast.

He watched as Jim tested the water with the toes of one foot, blond haired head nodding when he was satisfied the water was at an acceptable temperature. Leonard continued watching, eyes riveted upon the slender form of the captain as Jim plunged deeper, naked body cutting through the water with confident strokes. Jim was as good at swimming as he was at everything else, which didn’t surprise Leonard in the slightest. He continued watching, as breast stroke turned into backstroke and back again, Jim’s body a constant graceful curve in the water. 

Leonard was still standing there, watching when Jim broke the surface of the lake nearby, blue eyes immediately finding him in the shadows. Jim grinned at him, friendly curve to his lips sending cheerful crinkles about his eyes as he did so. Leonard smiled back, despite the fact that he was making all efforts to frown at the other man. 

“Bones, come join me,” Jim said, waving one dripping wet arm to beckon the doctor into the water.

“I shouldn’t,” Leonard said, in return. “Dammit, Jim, but you shouldn’t either. You know the New Zealanders are very particular about swimming in their lakes.” 

“Then let’s not let them catch us,” Jim reasoned, in the way only Jim Kirk could.

Jim kept right on smiling at him, in that cheeky, confident way that let Leonard know that Jim expected him to join him. Leonard capitulated with a groaned out sigh, shoulders slumping in defeat as he began tugging off his clothing. 

“Dammit, Jim, I’m a doctor, not a schoolboy out for larks,” Leonard grumbled even as he plunged into the water beside Jim.

Jim didn’t answer, instead, he grinned before leaning into to peck a kiss against Leonard’s cheek.

“Knew you couldn’t resist me for long. You never can,” Jim said.

“You’ve got me wrapped round your goddamned pinky and you know it,” Leonard groused, lashing out to slap Jim’s ass beneath the water.

The slap went awry, landing only lightly against Jim’s ass, water proving a greater force than his own impetus and dulling his blow. Jim didn’t seem to mind; instead he crowded in and draped both arms around Leonard's neck, mouth closing over the doctor’s in a heated kiss, tongue easing into Leonard’s mouth easily. Leonard’s arms snaked around Jim’s waist, holding him close as they kissed, before he dunked the unsuspecting captain beneath the water. Jim came up, spluttering, hair plastered flat against his forehead, an innocent little boy look upon his face.

“It is so on, Leonard McCoy,” Jim said, heatedly, although amusement lay beneath his mock anger.

Leonard merely rolled his eyes, yet did not offer much resistance against being dunked himself. What ensued was a humungous water fight, filled with laughs, plenty of flying water and the odd snatched kiss and grope beneath the water level. Soon, however, they grew tired, and emerged from the lake, dripping wet and towelled each other down by the softly plashing waves of the lake. 

~~~

Leonard walked beside Jim, hands brushing together every so often as they navigated the slightly rocky surface of the trail they were following. Below them ran the Clutha River, rushing ever onwards to its final destination, ancient and unknowable, yet still ultimately beautiful. The sun was spreading across the sky, warming the companionably silent couple while they walked, and Jim threw glances every so often towards the mountains that loomed on the other side of the river, topped with the cold white spread of snow. 

“It’s beautiful here, isn't it?” Jim asked, when Leonard caught his gaze once with a slight smile. 

“Yeah, kid, is it that,” Leonard agreed, Southern accent seeming to stand out at odds with the laid-back tones of a couple of back-packing New Zealanders they’d left behind on the trail. 

“I wish we could stay here,” Jim said, a little wistfully.

“Me too, but I don’t think our jobs would allow us that,” Leonard said ruefully. “Besides, you’d get bored within five minutes and go looking for adventure, before we both knew it.” 

Jim chuckled at that, but didn’t immediately answer. When his reply came, his words were quiet, almost thoughtful. 

“You know me too well, Bones,” he said, a slight smile curving his lips, eyes lifting momentarily to impale Leonard with an intense stare. 

Leonard harrumphed but remained silent. They continued walking, nodding towards fellow walkers heading in the other direction, whenever they passed on the trail. A couple whizzed past once on ancient bikes, causing Jim and Leonard to dodge out of the way at the last possible moment. That action brought Jim a little closer into Leonard's personal space, shoulder jostling against the doctor’s. Leonard reached out to steady Jim, hands a hefty weight against the other man’s hips. Jim smiled and leant in, dared a heated kiss, hand trapping against the nape of Leonard’s neck to pull him in ever closer. Leonard responded, sudden blush heating his cheeks and neck because of the embarrassment of kissing in public. Jim still hadn’t broken Leonard out of that; the doctor seemed to want to keep more intimate acts, even kissing, well out of sight of anyone else. Luckily for Leonard there was no one else around and Leonard dared another kiss of his own, lips claiming Jim’s gently, eyes fanning closed as Jim’s eyelashes tickled his skin when the other man adjusted the angle of his head. Finally they parted, shared a small and secretive smile before heading on for Albert Town.

They found a cafe once there, called Sailz Cafe and Restaurant, situated upon a top of a hill, overlooking spanning vistas of the mountains and lake. Jim sat by the window, ogling the view, sky reflected in his eyes and making his irises seem all the bluer. Leonard smiled, as he watched him, reminded once again that Jim seemed to be the eternal, inquisitive child trapped in a man’s body. Leonard still wished he had retained some of his own innocence, as Jim had, yet his life had removed every last piece of it. Still, Jim had enough innocence and curiosity for the both of them, and Jim didn’t seem bothered that Leonard occasionally lived vicariously through him. 

Jim caught him staring and smiled, reaching out to thread fingers through Leonard’s across the table, making the doctor check to see if anyone was staring., No one was, and he relaxed by degrees, allowing the other man to hold his hand for a while longer, until the food arrived. Jim had chosen a fried breakfast, filled with fried eggs and bacon and hash browns. Leonard, eschewing the fat laden meal Jim had chosen, had ordered a simple chicken pasta meal. They remained silent as they ate, occasionally remarking upon the food and how good it was, especially compared to the processed meals on the Enterprise‘s replicators. No matter how good the replicated meals were, they still couldn’t compete nor compare with real, hand-made food.

After they had finished the meal, they sat in companionable silence, slowly sipping at dark coffees and enjoying the view and the homely atmosphere of the cafe. Finally, Leonard stood, regretfully, before paying for their meal, despite Jim’s protestations that he wanted to at least share the cost. Leonard didn’t take any notice, wanting to at least give Jim the pleasure of a meal on him. 

They wandered through the town after that, to which Jim made a comment that it looked a little like an Old Western town of a few hundred years, ago, to which Leonard had laughed, not seeing the resemblance himself. All too soon, it came time for them to return back to their tent, trailing back the way they had come over the rocky paths and past the mountains that frowned down over the Clutha River. Once they were back at the tent site, they began to pack, movements slow and interspersed by Jim stealing snuggles and kisses from Leonard. Leonard growled at Jim every time, attempting to scowl at the other man for being interrupted while packing., Jim knew that Leonard didn’t mind, by the way that the doctor always leant into his touch despite the growls and the easy way that Leonard’s mouth responded to Jim’s kisses, coupled with the heavy weight of the doctor‘s hands trailing lingering caresses against Jim‘s body. 

Despite Jim’s constant interruptions, the actual packing didn’t take very long, tent and sleeping paraphernalia soon reduced to a few piles upon the floor. Leonard took one last look at the tranquil lake nearby, at the mountains that stood in silent approval over everything, and the sky that danced in perfect reflections upon the mirror-like surface of the lake. He inhaled the clean, crisp air, so unlike the processed air of the Enterprise.

“I’m gonna miss this place,” Jim said beside him, voice sounding oddly subdued and nothing like the excited bubble that Leonard was used to hearing from the other man.

“Yeah, so am I, darlin’,” Leonard murmured, watching a lone bird sail overhead, soon lost to view yet not from memory. 

They stood in silence then, Leonard’s arm draped easily around Jim’s waist, while the captain’s body maintained a comforting leaning weight against Leonard’s side.

“Guess we’d better go then,” Jim said, finally, but he made no immediate move to do so.

Leonard nodded, reluctantly, and watched while Jim flipped his communicator open and hailed the Enterprise. 

“Scotty? Two to beam up,” Jim murmured. 

Leonard waited until the familiar pull-push-tingle of transportation pulled his atoms apart and rearranged them, and the familiar clean surrounds of the transporter room glared all around them. He mourned the loss of clean New Zealand lakes and the tranquility of the mountains. Spock was waiting calmly by the transporter platform, arms arranged neatly behind his back, head slightly bowed in penitent patience. He looked up, face as expressionless as ever when Jim and Leonard walked off the platform together.

“Captain. Doctor,” Spock said, formally, as he greeted the couple back aboard the Enterprise. “I trust you had a relaxing shore leave?”

“You trusted right, you goddamned hobgoblin,” Leonard growled, as he walked straight past the Vulcan. 

“I see that it has not improved your mood one iota, Doctor,” Spock said, with ozone artfully raised eyebrow at Leonard‘s retreating back. 

“Well, I was just fine and goddamned peachy when I was planetside with Jim. It was the sight of your grinning face that put me in such a good mood,” the doctor growled over his shoulder. “I’m going to Sickbay. Gotta make sure it’s still there.” 

Jim snorted at that, staring after the other man as Leonard retreated from the transporter bay, dark haired head nodding absently to Scotty on his way past. 

“I do not know why you tolerate such insubordination, Jim,” Spock observed, coolly, dark brown eyes gazing after Leonard still.

“I dunno, Spock, Bones is perfectly fine with me,” Jim said, defensively, with a scowl directed at the Vulcan. “He’s got a heart of gold, underneath that grumpy doctor facade. He‘s quite loving, in fact.” 

“I find such pertinent facts quite hard to believe,” Spock said, with a slight dipping of his brows that was almost a frown. “His bedside manner seems to indicate otherwise.” 

“Well, you don’t know him like I do, Spock. I’ve known him for longer than you have and I - “ and Jim broke off his own sentence, staring at Spock with a frown of his own. 

“Yes, Captain? I believe you wished to state something?” Spock asked, with a look in his eyes that indicated he already knew.

“I’m in love with him and have been for a long time. He makes me happy,” Jim finished, resolutely. “In fact, if I hear you saying anything bad about my partner again, I’ll have you in the brig so fast, you won’t have time to say fascinating, you hear?” 

“Quite succinctly, Captain,” Spock replied, barely batting an eyelid at Jim’s show of temper. 

Scotty was grinning a little when Jim glanced his way, and Jim’s scowl softened a little when he saw the proud look in the engineer’s eyes. Scotty nodded slightly, a look of vaguely veiled approval in his eyes. Jim grinned back, but didn’t remark upon it. 

“She running smoothly, Scotty?” Jim asked, instead, gesturing around at the Enterprise, with one splayed hand.

“Aye, sir; she‘s been good as gold. As long as I’m still drawing breath, she’ll continue purring like a well groomed kitty,” Scotty said, immediately, with a wink at the captain.

“That’s what I like to hear,” Jim said, with a grin, clapping the engineer upon one shoulder proudly. “Keep up the good work, man.” 

“Aye, sir,” Scotty said, as though that was never in doubt.

Jim didn’t suppose that it was. He grinned and motioned the silent Spock after him, as they headed for the Bridge and the familiarity of life aboard the Enterprise. 

 

~~ the end ~~


End file.
